Fishers to be compensated over LNG project

A system is to be set up to compensate commercial fishers potentially affected by the construction of the Wheatstone LNG project.

Chevron's $29 billion project will tap into gas fields off the Pilbara coast and pipe LNG to a processing facility near Onslow.

The WA Fishing Industry Council and Chevron have been working with the Fisheries Department to set up an assessment of claims for compensation.

The process will include an independent committee that will consider claims and provide recommendations to Chevron.

The Fisheries Minister Norman Moore says any agreement will be a direct arrangement between the company and fishers.

The council's Mark Tucek says commercial fishers are being notified about the possible compensation.

He says fishers may face temporary or permanent disruptions.

"For instance, through dredging activities during the construction phase; if they were going to dredge a channel to put a pipe in and the water became turbid and that interrupted fishing activities," he said.

"Or, there might be some more permanent impacts, for instance restrictions on the manoeuvrability or access to fishing grounds associated with the development."

Mr Tucek says it is good news for fishers.

"It's really a terrifically good example of co-operation between the resource sector proponents and the fishing industry and the Department of Fisheries in this case," he said.

"It's a great model for us to look at for other situations like this.

"Potentially affected fishers have already been notified by WAFIC of the process and I believe the department is very shortly going to send out notices again to these affected fishers, outlining the process and seeking their responses if they feel they are going to be affected."

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